Evaluation of acute and sub-acute toxicity of Pinus eldarica bark extract in Wistar rats

Abstract

<br/><strong>Objective: </strong><em>Pinus eldarica</em> (<em>P. eldarica</em>) is one of the most common pines in Iran which has various bioactive constituents and different uses in traditional medicine. Since there is no documented evidence for <em>P. eldarica</em> safety, the acute and sub-acute oral toxicities of hydroalcoholic extract of<em> P. eldarica</em> bark were investigated in male and female Wistar rats in this study. <br/><strong>Materials and Methods:</strong> In the acute study, a single dose of extract (2000 mg/kg) was orally administered and animals were monitored for 7 days. In the sub-acute study, repeated doses (125, 250 and 500 mg/kg/day) of the extract were administered for 28 days and biochemical, hematological and histopathological parameters were evaluated. <br/><strong>Results: </strong>Our results showed no sign of toxicity and no mortality after single or repeated administration of <em>P. eldarica.</em> The median lethal dose (LD₅₀) of <em>P. eldarica </em>was determined to be higher than 2000 mg/kg. The mean body weight and most of the biochemical and hematological parameters showed normal levels. There were only significant decreases in serum triglyceride levels at the doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg of the extract in male rats (p<br/><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Oral administration of the hydroalcoholic extract of<em> P. eldarica</em> bark may be considered as relatively non-toxic particularly at the doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg.